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European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA)

EU Reference Laboratories for Animal and Plant Health, Food and Feed and Reference Centres for Animal Welfare and Zootechnics

The effectiveness and efficiency of official control systems is vital for maintaining a high level of safety along the food chain, as well as consumer confidence, whilst ensuring a high level of protection of the environment and animal welfare. EU Reference Laboratories (EURLs) and EU Reference Centres (EURCs) aim to improve the effectiveness, efficiency and reliability of official controls. The EU gives financial support to such control measures.

In particular, a financial contribution is available to EURLs and EURCs in order to help them bear the costs arising from the implementation of work programmes approved by the Commission, on the condition that it can be clearly shown that the carried out actions represent EU-added value and that sufficient funding is available under the programme to support those actions.

Funding criteria

In order to implement the specific objective referred to in Article 3(2)(e) of the Single Market Programme (SMP) Regulation, the following actions under Annex I are eligible for funding:

  • Support for EURLs
  • Support for EURCs

The EU awards grants directly to 44 EURLs and four EURCs on the basis of the SMP Regulation (EU) and as foreseen in Article 195(d) of the Financial Regulation, i.e., not through an open call for proposals.

The EU co-financing rate is 100% of the eligible costs in accordance with article 12(5)(b)(ii) of the SMP Regulation.